Combined testing kit for coronavirus, flu virus begins production

The first testing kit granted market approval in China that can screen people for both the novel coronavirus and the influenza virus started production in Shanghai on Sept 6, Xinhua reported.

"The combined testing kit was designed to overcome the interferences between the two viruses and pinpoint different pathogens accurately," said Xiong Lei, founder and chairman of 3DMed Diagnostics, the developer of the kit.

At present, the company can produce enough kits to test about 2 million people weekly and the first batch will prioritize fever clinics and pediatric outpatient departments across the country.

Experts said patients suffering from novel coronavirus pneumonia and influenza may show similar clinical symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, cough and fatigue, and even CT scan images of their lungs may look similar.

The kit provides doctors with a more efficient tool of quick pathogen identification for influenza patients and suspected novel coronavirus patients.

For patients with early respiratory symptoms, two or more tests used to be required to accurately rule out the possibility of being infected by the influenza virus or the novel coronavirus. The kit, which can distinguish the two viruses using a single sample, not only improves efficiency and cuts cost by up to 50 percent, but also eases the fear and worries of patients, said Xiong.

The combined kit was the first of its kind to be based on a fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction platform. It was granted domestic market approval by the National Medical Products Administration on Aug 16, the company said.

Data suggested the detectable concentrations of different subtypes of influenza and novel coronavirus are all higher than the concentration required by national registration and inspection provisions.

It was listed in the World Health Organization's emergency use list last year and sold to over 60 different countries and regions, according to the company.